Faded Requiem
by RurouniK18
Summary: The sequel to Red Dawn. Orochimaru returns with fresh intent...Relive the past to unveil the future. Pairings: Read the first fic. (Not saying the new ones) R&R!
1. Memory

Author's Note:  
  
Rurouni: Hellooooo everyone!!! And welcome to the sequel to Red Dawn!!!  
  
Sasuke: ;____; Great, another fic...  
  
Sakura: Good to be back! ^_-  
  
Kabuto: ^^ Well now, onto the fic! Need I say R+R?  
  
Chapter 1: Memory  
  
Itachi walked slowly towards the Hokage's building, taking in every aspect of Konoha. It had certainly changed since he had left. He had been released from the hospital today, and had been summoned by Tsunade. Kabuto had gotten out a week ago, and was now living at the Uchiha estate for the time being. Sasuke was supposed to be released from the hospital quite soon, and Itachi was looking forward to everything being right again.  
  
As he entered the tall building, he found himself walking by Anbu hurriedly walking to their destinations. Finally he managed to reach the room in which Tsunade resided, and he entered it to find her sitting at her desk.  
  
"Ah, Itachi. Come in."  
  
Tsunade said as she motioned over to a chair placed in front of her desk. Itachi shut the door and walked over to sit in the chair. Once he had sat down, Tsunade began her explanation of why he was here.  
  
"As we both know, you have been gone from Konoha for the last four years. Though you have regained your memory of your time away, you still do not know what's changed here and would be pretty lost while wandering around the streets. So I have assigned someone to show you around when you need help and so forth." Tsunade explained. "Shzune, come here."  
  
From across the room, Tsunade's aid came over to where they were sitting.  
  
"Yes Tsunade-sama?"  
  
"I want you to help Itachi when he needs it." Tsunade stated.  
  
"Wha-? Me? Why?" Shzune said, surprised.  
  
"Because I can trust you the most. Is that ok?" Tsunade explained.  
  
"Y-yes..." Shzune finished, not looking all too happy about the decision.  
  
"Well now, you will also be regaining your former position of an Anbu caption. That's everything really. Shzune, why don't you walk Itachi home so you two can get better acquainted?" Tsunade suggested as she stood up and handed Itachi his Anbu uniform.  
  
"Sure..." Shzune sighed. Itachi thanked Tsunade for her kindness and then left with Shzune to go home for the first time in four years.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Sakura sighed as she stared at the ceiling of her room. It had only been a week since they had returned from what had been called their 'vacation' and was a vacation only in name. Yet still it felt like forever since it had happened. In the time since, Ino and Shikamaru had hooked up. About time had been Sakura's reaction upon hearing it from Hinata. Ever since, the three girls had become close, and it wasn't uncommon to see them chatting together.  
  
*Sasuke-kun...*  
  
Sakura emitted another deep sigh. She still hadn't seen her teammate, and was constantly pestering Kakashi on his health. He was to be let out soon, but it still seemed like she would have to wait another life age before she could see him again.  
  
"Sakura!" Tomoe Haruno yelled at her daughter. "Come help me with the dishes!"  
  
Sakura sighed and rose from her bed.  
  
"Coming Mom..."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
"Naruto-kun! If you eat that fast your going to choke!" Hinata yelled with concern at the blond haired shinobi who was busy downing a bowl of ramen. After finishing his third bowl of miso ramen, Naruto found time to reply to his girlfriend.  
  
"Don't worry Hinata, ramen is more important than breathing!" He replied joyfully. Hinata sighed and smiled.  
  
"Just eat slower ok?"  
  
"Fine." Naruto said, eagerly ordering his fourth bowl. Training had been put off until Sasuke recovered, so Naruto spent most of his time with Hinata. He still couldn't get away from Kakashi though. Without his students to drive insane, he had been popping up all over the village and pestering the other teams.  
  
*Why didn't Tsunade-sama just kill him for stealing her credit card?*  
  
Naruto mentally groveled.  
  
"Naruto!! Slow DOWN!" Hinata yelled as Naruto's thoughts were disturbed by a lack of air. After managing to devour his monstrous bite of ramen, he chuckled nervously and scratched the back of his head.  
  
"Heh heh...sorry Hinata-chan."  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Gaara walked slowly over to Tenten's house. She had been released from the hospital a few days ago, but had still been too tired to visit him. But today she had called him asking to go for a walk with her, and he gladly obliged. Yet even with the notion of seeing Tenten again, a thought still gnawed at the back of his mind. After all, he was a sand Nin, and his stay at Konoha was almost over. Yet he didn't want to return anymore. The more he thought about leaving, the more he hated the idea, and the more he tried to think of ways to stay.  
  
When he reached Tenten's door, he pushed his thoughts to the back of his mind and rung the doorbell. After a few seconds, Tenten tore open the door and greeted him joyfully.  
  
"Hi Gaara-kun!"  
  
Gaara-kun. It seemed so strange and yet so welcome. He smiled, enjoying the way she had referred to him.  
  
"Hey." Was his simple reply. He stepped out her way so that she could join him outside. She walked out of her house and stood next to him, closing the door behind herself.  
  
"How uh...are you?" Gaara added. It seemed strange to ask about how someone was feeling, heck, everything seemed strange these days. But it was strange in a good way, and even though it was strange it was better than what he was used to. And so he welcomed it.  
  
"I'm feeling much better." Tenten chirped.  
  
"You?"  
  
"I'm fine." Gaara said. "Ready?"  
  
Tenten nodded, and they both headed off to walk around the village.  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Shikamaru stared out the window in a bored fashion. Even after everything they had gone through, it seemed nothing had changed. With the exception that Ino was now his girlfriend. Even he still couldn't believe that he had fallen in love with such a creepy girl. But then all girls were creepy, so it might as well be Ino had been his reasoning. Ever since they had gotten back, Ino had been dragging him around everywhere.  
  
*I'm more of her pet than her boyfriend...*  
  
Shikamaru had said that to Naruto once while he was talking to him. The blond had immediately collapsed on the ground in a fit of laughter, no doubt imagining him on a leash and Ino as his master. So it was Naruto's fault when him showed up at Hinata's house the next day with a huge bump on his head asking for ointment.  
  
*I guess things never fully change...*  
  
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~  
  
Author's Note:  
  
Rurouni: *dances around* First chapter is up! I hope you'll all like the fic! *Crosses fingers*  
  
Kabuto: ^_^ *nods*  
  
Sakura: Sasuke-kuuuun! You'll be out of the hospital soon! Great ne?  
  
Sasuke: v_v; I'm never going to escape these people am I...?  
  
Rurouni and Sakura: ^____^;;  
  
Kabuto: See you next chapter! ^_- 


	2. Revival

Author's Note:  
  
Rurouni: Ah, gomen for such a long, LONG absence of updates, but I needed a break. I got more done on my website for once, and spent my extra time enslaving myself by drawing. Thank you all for being so VERY patient.  
  
Sasuke: Do we really have to continue this pointless thing?  
  
Rurouni: Yes. Stares at feral, impatient reviewers We HAVE to continue it. ;;  
  
Gaara: walks into the author's room and see's them ... turns to leave  
  
Rurouni: Gaara!!! Drags him back You can join us in the author's room.   
  
Gaara: No.  
  
Sasuke: Like we have a choice...  
  
Kabuto: Let's just start the chapter...  
  
Sakura: Ok! Gets the chapter Here it is, chapter 2! RR and we hope you like the chapter!  
  
Gaara and Sasuke: No, we don't.

Rurouni: By the way, Fanfiction has decided to hate me and the stars aren't working. So for the time being thoughts will be in little dash things like these - .

Chapter 2: Revival  
  
Light poured in from the window next to the cool metal bed. The room was small and quiet, and it took awhile for his eyes to adjust to the faint trail of light. Sasuke sat up, yawned, and ran his fingers through his hair. Today he was being released from the hospital. He was still a bit weak, but he was well enough to perform his usual tasks again, so the hospital staff had decided he could leave. Sasuke yawned as he slowly ambled out of bed and dressed himself in his usual attire.  
  
-The quicker I get out of here the better...-  
  
He pushed open the thick, soundproof door that blocked his room off from the rest of the hospital and headed down into the lobby to eat an early breakfast. As he padded down the hallway the initial idea of finally getting out of the hospital began to wear off, only to be replaced with the many other ideas that followed it. Since he would be returning to his home, he would have to start living with Itachi again.  
  
-Great...-  
  
He mentally groaned.  
  
-Just what I need...-  
  
His mind then drifted to the thought of the other genin. He had heard about Tenten, but his nurse had told him that she had recently been released from the hospital and that she had been fine. All of them were probably fine, Sakura included.  
  
-Sakura?-  
  
Why had he thought of her at that particular moment? It seemed odd to think of the pink haired kunochi at all, but his thoughts were erased when he reached the lobby and turned to order his breakfast.

---------------------

"So what have you been doing? Konoha suit you?" Tenten questioned her boyfriend.  
  
"Nothing really. Konoha's fine. How was the hospital?" Gaara replied back.  
  
"It was fine, but I missed you." Tenten chimed. Gaara couldn't hold back his smile. He had never been missed by anyone before. They fell silent again for a while, and it was Tenten who started the conversation up again.  
  
"When do you leave?"  
  
Gaara turned to her. She hadn't elaborated, but he already knew what she meant.  
  
"In three days."  
  
He mumbled back unhappily. He had just been thinking about leaving, and he didn't want the thought to return to him. Not when he could still be with her.  
  
"Well...maybe you can stay a bit longer?"  
  
Tenten added hopefully. She as well didn't like the notion of Gaara leaving, but what troubled her more was the thought of Gaara being engulfed in his pain once again.  
  
-If I'm not with him, the Sand could turn him back into how he was.-  
  
The idea plagued her mind.  
  
"...Gaara?"  
  
"Yes?" Gaara replied. They had walked into a secluded part of the park. The rays of sun that pierced through the trees glided over the damp grass. A butterfly drifted by and landed on top of Gaara's head. Tenten laughed at the strange sight, and Gaara smiled awkwardly.  
  
"Promise me you won't let yourself be controlled by your anger."  
  
"Sure. Promise."  
  
He didn't understand why she was asking this, but he would keep his promise anyways.  
  
"Besides," he added, "my new purpose is you."  
  
Tenten blushed, and then pulled him into an embrace from behind.  
  
"Love you."

---------------------

Itachi walked alongside Shzune in silence.  
  
-It's official. I'm a hated worm.-  
  
Itachi mentally whimpered as Tsunade's assistant refused to so much as glance at him.  
  
"So...uh...nice to meet you." Itachi mumbled in an attempt to shatter the encompassing silence.  
  
"Ya." Was her cut-off response. Itachi omitted a heavy sigh. He obviously needed some serious social reintroduction.  
  
"Since we're going to be spending a lot of time together, you wanna do something to get to know each other?" he continued in hopes of re-deeming himself.  
  
"Whatever." She replied without turning.  
  
-GAHHHHHHH!!! What did I do wrong?!-  
  
"How come the cute girl hate me?..." He mumbled to himself.  
  
"Oh, so you think I'm cute?" Shzune replied catching his words. Now she was interested.  
  
"I never said YOU were cute. I could be talking about anyone." Itachi blushed in annoyance.  
  
"But you were talking about me." Shzune snickered and teased, " Fine, I'll go to dinner with you tonight. Wanna call it a date?"  
  
"No." Itachi groaned. Shzune laughed to herself as Itachi mentally tore his hair out.  
  
-I need to go find a wall to bang my head against...-

---------------------

Rurouni: I know, I know. I FINALLY update and this pathetic trash is what I give you? But before you storm into the author's room and rip me lib from lib, I PROMISE I will NEVER take this long to update again! I just really needed a break from fanfic but I'm back now! The next chapter will be back in swing, and I'll try to make it a long one.   
  
Sasuke: Great... --;  
  
Gaara: I hate you all.  
  
Sakura: By the way, Rurouni has added a chat room to her website with a fan fiction section in it. So if you want to give her ideas, instead of reviewing or e-mailing her you can post there. She checks it often enough. ;  
  
Rurouni: addicted Wheeee! It's like the joys of reviews in conversation...  
  
All: O...hides from Rurouni  
  
Kabuto: Well, hope you enjoyed the chapter. See you all in chapter 3!  
  
Sakura: Bye!


End file.
